


A Step Closer to the Light

by kimichi21a



Category: iKON (Korea Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Childhood Friends, Alternate Universe - High School, Angst, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Betrayal, Binhwan - Freeform, Blood, Blood and Injury, Bullying, Childhood Friends, Childhood Memories, Childhood Trauma, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Graphic Depictions of Illness, High School, Hospitalization, Illnesses, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, PTSD, Past Child Abuse, Promises, Repressed Memories, Repression, Romance, Rumors, Smut, Teen Romance, Tragic Romance, Trauma, Underage Drinking, Violence, doubleb - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-19
Updated: 2021-02-12
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:34:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 20,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27552403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kimichi21a/pseuds/kimichi21a
Summary: When Jiwon moved out of his homeland, he made a promise to HanbinNow that he's back, he's making sure to fulfill that promiseBut what if Hanbin didn't just forget the promise, but also who Jiwon was?
Relationships: Kim Hanbin | B.I/Kim Jinhwan, Kim Hanbin | B.I/Kim Jiwon | Bobby
Comments: 8
Kudos: 36





	1. Back to where it started

**Author's Note:**

> Hello everyone!
> 
> First off, thanks for taking time to read this fic. It's been a while. I actually contemplated on which story to post and just finalized it all and chose this one. So I do hope that you find it interesting and would appreciate comments as it would really help me improve and motivated. 
> 
> Second, please do look at the TAGS because I don't want to trigger anyone. This story has dark notes as well as light ones. But I will let you know at the start of a chapter if it goes down the dark route. Most of the chapters are light because I didn't want the mood to be scary.
> 
> Lastly, I just wanted to put out a disclaimer that none of the characters are mine(though I know a lot of us want that) and also everything in this story is purely fictional. Everything just came from my imagination and would like to emphasize that none of it holds truth to who the characters are in real life.
> 
> And with that, I hope you guys enjoy!

A black-haired man in his late teens tossed and turned as the nightmare swallowed his consciousness. Fists and feet slamming against him while he defended himself. Despite his arms and legs close to his body to shield him from the attacks, he still felt them. The nightmare felt so vivid that he could feel his stomach churn and his body fall weak.

Laughter echoed along with painful words that plagued his mind. After the hits came mocking laughter, they ridiculed his ability to fight back. And no matter how much he covered his ears, the voices seeped through his ears directly attacking his mind.

_“Weak”_

_“Useless”_

_“Worthless”_

_“Idiot”_

_“Die! Die! Die!”_

They were laughing at him, sneering at his weak state. He was unable to fight but he tried his best to defend himself. Yet it was futile as he was truly weak. Hands pull him in all directions, words stabbing him and chaining him into the depths of a murky abyss that swallowed him. Creeping into his skin and pulling him into the depths of fear.

_“Don’t worry, Hanbinie! I’ll protect you!”_

They were words that carried the brightness of the sun. It felt like rays that destroyed the darkness that surrounded him. The words were a saving grace to his endless nightmare of darkness and pain. But the smile he saw had no face. The guy that reached his hand to him was someone he could barely remember.

He doesn’t know what he looked like nor how he met Hanbin. But he felt like the sun’s rays, providing him hope despite the darkness that consumed him.

_“You don’t have to worry anymore. I’ll be here for you.”_ The voice echoed in his head.

The raven hair who’s name is Hanbin, looked at the outstretched hand that the faceless guy offered. It felt familiar yet unrecognizable. Though he was a step closer to the light, he was unsure if he was able to break through the darkness that swallowed him.

Hanbin awoke, gasping for air while his skin was lathered in a cold sweat. His breathing hiked, yet as he looked at his side, it steadied. The figure that calmed him from the most vicious nightmares reached out a hand to his cheek, pulling him back to their comfortable slumber.

The hand that now held him was his saving grace. It was completely different from the radiance that the person in his dreams reached out. But the hand that held his cheek delivered reassurance, comfort that the hand in his dream could never deliver. The warmth of the body that lay beside him was something he will never forget, a saving grace from the turmoil that drowned him into the pits of despair.

Hanbin snuggled closer, yearning for the warmth that the figure provided him.

\---

The countryside has always been peaceful. Through the years, industrial companies built buildings upon buildings of different necessities that would help people with their daily lives. Some of the old folks who lived there, appreciated the extra help while some thought it was unnecessary.

One of the helpful things they built is the train station that connected the country to the buzzing city that knew no silence nor rest. Though they admit that it was quite a luxurious need, the other businesses didn’t seem to be so necessary after all.

The train station ran day after day, helping people get to their destinations.

One of which carried a handsome young man who finally returned to his homeland after spending years of it overseas. His years at _Nation State Kingdom_ was difficult but he always thought about Hanbin despite the years he spent there. The Nation State Kingdom was located in the North Western hemisphere beyond the great sea. People prioritized work there to earn money for luxuries that they enjoy during the heat of summer. It was a vibrant place with beaches and tall buildings, a place full of mixed people. Some who’s hair shone brightly like the sun with skin bright as snow while others hold beautiful black hair that have lush chocolate skin and there were also others who look like the people from his continent. Contrast to those people in his homeland, _Sorokeans_ had luscious black hair with skin ranging from milky white to silky brown.

Despite the beauty of NSK, he always thought of Hanbin as his inspiration to continue to work hard and pursue his life’s goal. And thus, he returned to his roots in hopes of fulfilling it.

He could still remember what the two of them pinky promised during the early years of their life. The promise that pushed him to continue his life forward. Taking one step at a time to finally come back and fulfill what he vowed to happen.

Though he was in the final year of his high school life, he wanted to settle back into the town where he held the most memories. It may not be the same despite his years of absence, but he hopes that at least the person he holds value kept him in his memories.

Jiwon looked at the name tag on their gate.

Kim

It was the nameplate that he remembered. The silver streak that spelled out their family name was now a bright golden color. Though he must admit that the color strikes his interest as something more eye-catching than the norm. The different colored nameplate wasn’t anything of concern for him when compared to the empty lot that stood beside their house.

He remembered how a beautiful sky blue house stood beside theirs. The house was a breath of fresh air to him. It felt like a piece of the sky on land. But the house was nowhere to be found when he returned.

The space was an empty lot that looked like no one lived there. But Jiwon knew, despite the difference, that it was where the person he valued most used to life.

“Jiwon? Jiwon! Is that you?! Is that really you?!” Jiwon shifted his gaze from the empty lot to the old woman that held an umbrella as she scampered out of the door despite the heavy snowfall. “It’s you! My grandson! My handsome grandson!”

Jiwon smiled at the old woman’s continuous compliments. “I’m here, grandma.”

“Ah, my grandson! I’m so happy to see you!” His grandmother, _Heesoo_ , exclaimed as she pulled him into a tight embrace. Jiwon chuckled as he copied his grandmother’s notion. Wrapping his arms around her as he closed his eyes along her embrace.

_“Bobby!” A small Hanbin between the ages of 4/5 smiled at him, grinning with crescent eyes that bore hope despite his eyes carrying pain._

A flash of memory graced Jiwon as he hugged his grandmother. His mind flooded with the beauty of his childhood friend. “I missed you so much, grandma!” Jiwon chuckled, a grin leaving his lips as he looked at his grandmother.

“Come inside and warm yourself! You feel too cold! You need to warm up! Come! Come!” Jiwon’s grandmother earnestly begged him as she pulled his arm.

The questions his mind asked were pushed aside. Since he’ll settle down in this place, he had enough time to know about the mysteries of the empty lot beside their house, where the house of the most important person to him used to stand. He was sure that it wasn’t just a child’s delusion of high fever, and it was also something real which he swore by.

“I made your favorite.” His grandmother stated as Jiwon entered their house. He saw his grandfather, Sanhyuk, standing by the entrance, waiting for him to arrive. Wide arms welcomed him into the house that he considered his home.

The two old people that welcomed him with open arms felt like the warmest embraces he could ever ask for. Despite the fatigue that loomed over him after his long trip back to _Sorokea_ , Jiwon was happy to see his grandparents again. Though they looked healthy and thriving, he knew how the two were reaching an age that needed assistance more than anything.

“I’m glad you decided to come back. I’m looking forward to our fishing trips together.” Jiwon’s grandfather patted his shoulder which made him smile. Seeing that proud smile escape his grandfather’s lips was always rewarding. No trophy can ever replace that smile and Jiwon kept it in his memories. A memory that he was proud to carry until the end of his life.

“You’re probably tired from your trip, why don’t you freshen up first so you can rest? Ah! But Please eat first before you rest.” Jiwon smiled as his grandmother continued to utter worried words. He was well capable of taking care of himself. His parents were kind enough to let him go back to finish his studies in _Sorokea_ , but their deal was that he should return to _Nation State Kingdom_ once he finishes his studies.

Jiwon headed straight to his room after his grandmother practically shoved him to the stairs. She told him to freshen up first before eating his favorite food. Of course, in terms of his favorite… anything with meat is his favorite. He chuckled to himself when he remembered how he proudly told his grandmother that meat and that no vegetable was going into his mouth. His grandmother almost turned feral at the thought that her grandson was going to be a spoiled little brat.

But he grew up different, much to her relief. Contrary to her worries, Jiwon grew up into an honorable teenager who upheld promises with the most importance. He was proud that he has never broken a promise to anyone and he wasn’t planning on doing so anyway.

Upon reaching his room, he was surprised to see that nothing much has changed. It was still the same little boy’s room that he left 10 years ago. His walls were still lined with posters of his childhood heroes.

He couldn’t help but smile as we looked around but when his eyes landed on the window, the smile was wiped away from his lips. He remembered how there’s another window beyond his. A room beyond his with a child that had the brightest smile Jiwon has ever seen.

Stepping closer to the windows, he held the glass as he took a sigh. He remembered how he often lifted his windows to call out the other kid’s name.

“Hanbinie…” He whispered.

Biting his lip, he turned around to change his clothes when he heard his grandmother calling him.

—

Jiwon smiled at his grandparents as he got a chopstick full of rice. Even with a simple mouthful of rice, he felt like he was home.

“Here, here, eat this one and this.” His grandmother kept putting food on his plate and all he could do was laugh at his grandma.

“Ah, you’re putting too much on his plate. How is he possibly going to eat all that, Heesoo?” Sanhyuk called out, looking worriedly at Jiwon’s plate full of food.

“Ah! He should at least taste everything. Here, say ah!” Heesoo called out as she offered a chopstick of meat and veggie to his mouth.

Jiwon welcomed the food into his mouth and hummed in happiness. “Delicious!” He praised.

“Ah, you look even more handsome when you’re eating! Here, take more of this.” Heesoo suggested.

“Why don’t you just give the whole serving plate to him?” Sanhyuk teased.

Jiwon couldn’t help but chuckle as he watched his grandparents. They’ve always been lovely old people even when he was a kid. They would still talk to each other as if they’re fighting but in truth, it’s just how they show their love to each other.

“Ah, don’t be jealous of your grandson. You what I cook every day and it’s not every day that I can cook for Jiwonie. Isn’t that right?” Jiwon nodded at his grandmother who pinched his cheek. “Ahh, I’m glad I get to see you again.”

“Me too. Oh, uhm… grandma? What happened to the house beside ours?” Jiwon asked, taking another bite of meat that his grandmother put on his plate.

“Ahh, them? There was a huge explosion that broke out from that house. It burned down and the owners didn’t want to rebuild the house after that.” Heesoo explained.

Jiwon noticed that his grandfather had a grim look on his face but he didn’t say anything. It piqued Jiwon’s interest since his grandfather doesn’t usually turn silent when it came to people he knew.

“Ah… is that so…? So did they move?” Jiwon asked. “The kid there was my friend before. Do you remember Hanbin?” Jiwon said and his grandparents’ reaction bothered him. They both looked surprised and after glancing at each other, they turned back to their food.

“Grandma? Grandpa?” Jiwon called out.

“We’re not sure what happened to them Jiwonie. But that child, the one you just mentioned. They said he was the cause of the explosion. So… I hope you don’t go near him. He’s not someone you should be hanging out with.” His grandmother’s face was filled with worry.

But what bothered him are the words that she said. Hanbin was the cause of the explosions. Remembering the child that smiled at him with such honest eyes, it was impossible for him to do so.

After dinner, Jiwon was pushed to his room to rest. They didn’t want him to help with the dishes since he was their lovely grandson. Jiwon didn’t mind it, though, since he has a lot to think about.

As he stared at the skylight, several thoughts played in his head. But the most important one was the question about Hanbin.

“What happened to you, Kim Hanbin…?” he whispered as he lulled into the silence of sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Jiwon was a healthy five year old. He loved playing outside, causing trouble though mostly non-intentional. The kid loved going around, running through the fields where adults often worked. He was a friendly little fellow who knew almost everyone in their small area called _Bucheon._ The place was filled with bountiful vegetation of fruits and vegetables. Most of the people in the place rely on their agriculture as their main job. Others, work at the marketplace in the city centre that was located at the north eastern part of the area. Sorokea consists of many cities, most of which are rural areas that has small shopping districts that people call the city centre.

In the city centre stood the main necessities of people in Bucheon. Necessities such as the hospital, market, practitioner’s offices, and different government offices. Though the place was smaller than the capital, it was bustling with life and people are happy with their lives.

Jiwon was one example of the merry spirit that lived in the area. He was burning with life, he made sure that he spread the virus of happiness that he felt. He wanted everyone to be happy.

It was one reason why he was immediately attracted to Hanbin. A smaller child who was shy and everything Jiwon wasn’t. He was quiet, he was timid, he was frowning, and he was weak.

But this was why Jiwon wanted him. There was something different about Hanbin, something sincere, something _raw._ He felt like fresh air that Jiwon wanted to have, a fire that shines behind the luster of darkness that embraced him. Hanbin was everything he wasn’t and that’s what captivated him the most. Hanbin was just… not him.

“Let’s go!” Jiwon urged, pulling the smaller child on the wrist. Jiwon wanted to go to the playground, push Hanbin on the swings and play with the seesaw. He knows how much Hanbin loves the swings, despite saying he doesn’t. He knows Hanbin smiles the widest when he pushes him on the swing and it reaches the sky.

_Hanbin likes the sky_.

It was well established in his head that Hanbin’s fascination with the sky was more than just want, it was a _need._

“Let’s play on the swings again!” Jiwon called out. He saw how Hanbin’s eyes glistened with anticipation but the smaller wasn’t moving from his spot. “Ah… what’s wrong?”

“But the big kids are scary.” Hanbin uttered, looking down on the ground as his other hand fiddled on the hem of his shirt. “I don’t like them to get angry.”

“Leave it to me!” Jiwon smiled, confidence painted along his lips. “I’ll protect you!”

The words were well received. Unfortunately they weren’t put into action.

“Oh my goodness what happened to you?!” Jiwon’s mother, _Chaerin_ , called out when they got home.

Dirt stained their clothes, scrapes on their knees, and tears mixed with their snot as they cried their way back home. Their fingers intertwined despite the sobbing noises that went out of their lips. They were far too small to understand the playground’s rules. Older kids had the power to take over what they played with. Though they were taught that _sharing is caring_ , the big kids didn’t seem to think so. It was a _I want this so get off_ kind of situation.

What strength could five-year-olds possibly fight back with? The kids who pushed them off the swings were taller, bigger, and older.

Jiwon’s mother thought it was sad how other people’s kids would do this to younger ones. Though she allowed Jiwon to play anywhere he wanted to, she was hurt, disappointed that her child was hurt. She looked over at Hanbin, their neighbor’s kid who Jiwon took a liking to. She pulled the two into a tight embrace, consoling them with her hand rubbing their backs. She thought of what she should do, restricting Jiwon from going out was something impossible. So she thought she could try to go with them tomorrow. Hoping, that there must be a way to talk to the parents of the kids that hurt hers.

After sobbing, the two five-year-olds fell asleep in Chaerin’s arms. They were too tired, _too hurt_ , to do anything more. She wanted to separate the two and place them in different beds but Jiwon’s grasp on Hanbin was tight. Deciding against her first idea, she laid the two on the couch and covered them with a warm blanket. Hanbin was fast to turn and snuggle close to Jiwon. Their hiccups still rose every now and then, remnants of their sobbing that squeezed his mother’s heart.

When Jiwon’s father, _Sanghyun_ , arrived, he saw the two little ones asleep on their couch. His first thought was how cute the two were but when he saw the bruises on their faces, he worried for them.

“What happened to them?”

Chaerin, who came to welcome her husband with a hug, looked over at the two young ones. She let out a sigh at the question. “Looks like they were bullied in the playground a while ago. I’m planning to go there with them tomorrow. I don’t like how they let the kids do this.”

“That’s good. Were they alright, though?” Sanghyun gave his wife a kiss before handing her his bag and coat. He headed over to the two, checking their condition.

“They were crying when they came back today. Jiwon doesn’t usually cry but he was sobbing today. It’s heartbreaking.” Chaerin commented as she put away her husband’s coat and bag. “I do wish it doesn’t happen again.”

They said that mother’s wishes often come true especially when it’s for their children’s welfare. The older children who hurt Chaerin’s son made his appearance known by pushing Hanbin off the swings the moment he arrived. Chaerin was on her feet the moment Hanbin started crying. It was horrible to see the scene, what was even terrible was that the child’s mother was there to witness it happen.

“Excuse me, but shouldn’t you teach your child not to hurt others?” Chaerin carried Hanbin and stepped closer to the child’s mother who was busy chatting with other older women. They all looked at her as if she’d grown three heads.

“They’re children. It’s just their way of playing.” The woman reasoned.

“Did you know that children who weren’t disciplined by their parents turn out to be bullies once they get into school? Once they become bullies, there’s a 60 percent chance to grow up into criminals. So are you trying to raise a criminal?” Chaerin stated.

The woman was visibly shaken by the aggressive way Chaerin was talking to her. In all honesty, Chaerin’s doing her best not to go wild but it was hard to do so when the woman didn’t even care what her child did.

“Are you threatening me right now? They’re just kids! That’s what kids do!” The woman reasoned, which the her friends supported.

“So if my child pushes yours off the slide and gives him bruises then you don’t have worries about that?” Chaerin challenges.

“Lady, that’s just how kids are! They get hurt and grow up!” The woman stated.

Chaerin glared at her before looking at Jiwon. After witnessing Hanbin getting hurt again, Jiwon was fuming with anger. No one gets to hurt his friend, no one gets to hurt _his_ Hanbin. Getting irritated at what the older kid did, he pushed him off the swing just like what he did to Hanbin. He held the swing’s chain and kicked the other kid off it.

The bigger child didn’t expect the attack and fell face first on the ground. The impact caused him to wail in pain.

When the woman heard his son cry, she was already prepared to run to her child’s rescue but Chaerin stood in front of her. “Oh look, they’re playing so well.” A venomous sarcasm dripped out of her lips as she looked at the woman.

“You’re insane! Why would your son—?” The woman started but Chaerin immediately showed her Hanbin’s bruises. “Your son gave these bruises to my sons! Your child taught my son that its okay to hurt others!”

The woman was shaken with the threat. This time, she felt guilty over her nonchalance moments before. She frowned as Chaerin warned her. “Teach your child that hurting others will have consequences. I don’t teach my son to hurt others, but he learns fast and hurts those who hurt him!”

Chaerin marched toward Jiwon. Pride apparent on her system, though she didn’t show it since Jiwon still did something bad. The mother of the other child ran to her child, cradling him in her arms as she looked over at Chaerin.

“Jiwon, I understand that you hurt him because he hurt you but you shouldn’t do that.” Chaerin stated. “There are bad people in this world, would you also like to be one of them who hurts people?”

“But he hurt Hanbin!” Jiwon reasoned, pointing at the wailing child.

“I know. And that’s why his mother is going to teach him not to hurt other kids anymore.” Chaerin glared at the woman. “Because teaching kids what is good and bad is a mother’s job. And she’ll teach him all about it, right?”

The woman absentmindedly nodded as she hugged her son who was sobbing in her arms.

“Now, go and play. We’ll go back in an hour.” Chaerin stated, putting down Hanbin who was timidly hiding near her leg.

Jiwon reached out his hand, “Let’s go Hanbin! Let’s reach the sky this time!”

Hanbin looked at his friend’s hand, reaching for his as a smile draped over his lips. “Mm!”

Chaerin watched the two, smiles on their faces as Hanbin got on the swing while Jiwon pushed him.

_A fight_

Jiwon grumbled at the kids that were ganging up on Hanbin again. Kindergarten was supposed to be _fun._ Though Jiwon had to admit that he loved learning, it irked him how their classmates always made fun of Hanbin. Though years passed, Hanbin stayed the same. That quiet kid who would rather sit and read a book than to play out unless forced by Jiwon. He enjoyed the valuable knowledge that books provided him, much to Jiwon’s boredom.

Hanbin liked reading, writing, and doing things alone. Hanbin has a penchant for things that brings him calmness, silence. Music was one of those things that brought him serenity.

And this was probably one of the reasons that acted like a magnet for bullies. He was silent, most of the time, and he refused to talk unless spoken to. Something his parents unconsciously ingrained in him. This often caused misunderstandings, which the other kids think is arrogance.

“You should call me when they try to bully you.” Jiwon stated, looking at the kid who was hugging his legs on the ground. Jiwon sighed, kneeling in front of Hanbin. He dusted off the dirt that the kids threw on his friend. “Hey, look at me… are you okay?”

Hanbin nodded his head.

“What happened?” The usual question that followed after Jiwon made sure that Hanbin is alright.

“They were playing with a worm and wanted to show it to me, but I was scared of it.” Hanbin explained with a frown on his lips. “When I said it was scary, they wanted me to hold it.”

Jiwon could only sigh. He hated how people would target Hanbin only because he was a quiet kid. He hated how other kids always aimed their pranks at Hanbin despite his warnings. He stood up before reaching out a hand to Hanbin. “Let’s go.”

Hanbin looked at Jiwon’s hand for a moment before reaching out his. The latter immediately intertwined their fingers as he smiled at Hanbin.

They always headed to school together and went home together. Hands together and fingers intertwined, each day they were together. Jiwon liked how Hanbin relied on him, he liked how he was Hanbin’s only friend.

“I’m Kim Donghyuk! So I can also be your brother!” A bright-eyed boy suddenly interrupted their lunch one day, his smile was genuine and full of life. He was like Jiwon, bright and confident.

“I already have a brother.” Jiwon stated blankly, not wanting him anywhere near them.

“You… you want to be my brother?” Hanbin asked, eagerness was in his tone and Jiwon couldn’t help but look at him with wide saucer-like eyes.

“Mm! I’ll be your brother!” Donghyuk laughed. “If you have a brother already, then I can be your friend!” He reached out his hand, wanting to shake the other’s.

Hanbin was about to reach out but Jiwon grabbed it instead. He shook it while frowning. “Okay, friends! Then make sure you protect your friends!”

“Sure!” Donghyuk chirped.

With the addition of Donghyuk, their playtimes became more fun. Jiwon noticed the way Hanbin looked happier. Having more friends made him realize that more people could also protect Hanbin, so he then decided that he needs more friends.

“What?”

Jiwon grinned at the twins who just moved into their area. They were already in Grade one and he thought that they would be perfect for the Hanbin Protection Squad alongside Donghyuk and Junhoe, who they met while they were in Kindergarten.

The two eyed Jiwon, looking at him like he’s crazy.

“What Protection Squad?” The twins chorused, which made Jiwon snort.

“Hanbin Protection Squad! You two look like the perfect people who would get along with _my_ Hanbin!” Jiwon declared as he held their wrists to pull them to where the others were.

Hanbin liked sitting near the windows, it was calming and he gets to look at the sky from there.

“This is Hanbin!” Jiwon introduced.

There was obvious disinterest in the twin’s eyes and Jiwon saw it. But he saw potential from the two, since they often stayed together without minding other’s business. He also noticed how they read books in their spare time, much like how Hanbin immerses himself into paper.

Chanwoo, one of the twins, was the first to notice the book title on Hanbin’s desk. “Is that a good story?” He pointed out which earned Hanbin’s attention.

Hanbin nodded. “The hero is strong and protects his friends.”

Chanwoo’s interest pulled his twin, Yunhyeong, to learn more about Hanbin. It wasn’t because Jiwon urged them to, but because their interests aligned.

Jiwon, on the other hand, thought he had gathered a capable team that’s good enough to take care of Hanbin. Their school days became livelier with happy laughter and earnest friendship. They all thrived alongside each other.

Though they were now a group together, Jiwon and Hanbin still shared this special connection that the others can’t possibly intercept. Though they often hang out and play together at the children’s playground until the sun’s head start falling from the sky, Hanbin and Jiwon would still stay by the riverbanks to talk about their day. Even if they practically spent the whole day attached to the hip, they still talked to each other after their playtimes. It became their custom, a routine that became a big part of their everyday lives.

Most of the time, Jiwon talked while Hanbin listened. He liked it when Hanbin listened to him, he liked that Hanbin focused solely on him. That’s why their talks at the riverbanks were necessary. He needed that attention from Hanbin. He wants that kind of attention to be only for him.

“Hanbinie…” Jiwon called him one time, it was a perfect sunset at the horizon and Jiwon was determined to say what was in his mind.

“Mm?” Hanbin asked, looking at Jiwon with wondering eyes.

The rays of the sun brushed along Hanbin’s face, an ethereal glow that made Jiwon feel magical. Hanbin was beautiful, even though he refuses to acknowledge the fact. But Jiwon knew, that Hanbin would grow into a perfect being. He thought about their future together many times and he had only one vision he wanted to happen.

“Let’s marry each other when we grow older!” Jiwon exclaimed with the biggest smile Hanbin has ever seen. “Let’s be like my mom and my dad! So, we can live together and have kids!”

A smile spread across Hanbin’s lips as he nodded at Jiwon’s request. “Mm. Let’s do that!”

Jiwon raised his hand, offering a pinky promise to Hanbin. The beautiful child intertwined their pinkies as their foreheads met. The unison of their hearty laughter sending a melody along their throats, a promise they’ll forever cherish.

Upon stepping to Grade two, their group became even closer. Much to Jiwon’s pride, no one has ever bullied Hanbin again upon their squad’s emergence. He was happy that the others understood that Hanbin was just a shy kid who was often misunderstood. Chanwoo, who looked up to Hanbin’s intelligence understood him the most. He valued their deep talks and literature exchanges. Yunhyeong, on the other hand, appreciated that Hanbin understood his twin. He valued people that understood them and knew how to differentiate them. Hanbin was one of those people alongside the people in their squad. Donghyuk held true to his words, he treated Hanbin like a brother to him and often spoiled him with treats and sweets that he takes from his house pantry. Junhoe, who was the loudest among them, often encouraged Hanbin to strive to be better. Though he often teases everyone, he would let others pay hell if they ever did the same.

“Jiwon, Jiwon.” Donghyuk called one day

“Mm?” Jiwon looked back to see that Donghyuk was carrying a lollipop in his hand. “Where’d you get that?”

“The old grandma in the candy store gave it to me! She said I should call for my friends and she’ll give some to you too!” Donghyuk proudly said. “Let’s go Hanbin! We should get candies!”

A smile immediately painted across Hanbin’s face. His eyes twinkled at the sound of free candy. When Jiwon saw this, he called for everyone’s attendance and they marched to the old lady’s candy store. The Candy Store was a block away from the playground that they often played in. Though they don’t really go there because they didn’t have money to give to the grandma.

“Grandma Candy! I brought them here!” Donghyuk called out and the old lady’s smile looked so precious that even the kids gravitated towards her.

The Candy Store was a small open store with shelves of candy lined along the sides. Several tables were in the middle of the store. It was the entrance to their home, which was right at the second floor of the store. The place looked like a cozy living room. She sat on a rocking chair near the cash register located at the far corner of the store, which was right by the door that connected to the stairs of their home.

“Oh, are these your friends? They all look like really nice children.” Grandma Candy stated, sitting up from her rocking chair and using her feet as anchor to stop it from moving.

“Why are you giving us candies for free, old lady? Are you trying to make us into Hansel and Gretel?” Chanwoo asked.

With the question, Hanbin visibly flinched which made Jiwon step in front of him to block the Old Lady from looking at his best friend. “You can’t eat my Hanbin!”

“Oh! No, no. Dear, no. Donghyuk helped me a while ago. So as a reward I gave him a lollipop. You see, this old woman can’t see that well. One of the kids who came here broke my glasses thinking that they were a toy. I still haven’t gotten my replacement so I can’t see the price tags on the candies.”

“Oh! We know how to read!” Junhoe saluted. “I’ll read for you if you give me candy!”

The old lady laughed at the trade. “That’s the idea. Would you be so kind to help this old lady out?”

“Yes, Grandma Candy! We’ll help you for sure!” Donghyuk reasoned, looking at his friends.

“Why do you keep calling her Grandma Candy?” Yunhyeong asked, still wary of the old lady.

“Because that’s what she told me to call her, right Grandma Candy?” Donghyuk grinned at her.

“Yes. Well… You kids can be like my grandkids. You see, I never did get any kids even though my husband and I tried. So I ask the kids who come here to call me Grandma Candy.” She stated, before looking at Hanbin who was hiding behind Jiwon. “Well… would you kids like to call me Grandma Candy too? I promise I won’t eat you.”

“But how do we know if you’re not going to?” Chanwoo asked.

“I have a secret to tell you. I’m a fairy and we don’t like witches. We protect kids from witches that’s why I sell candies. They protect kids from evil witches.” She stated which earned the kids’ interest. “So, would you like to protect my shop with me?”

A collective praise raised out of their lips as they agreed to the old lady’s request. Her shop became a second home to the kids who would find time to see her. Among them, the old lady took a liking to Chanwoo, Hanbin and Yunhyeong who would often read books for her while they were there. Donghyuk, Junhoe and Jiwon would often cause mischief but were kind enough to clean up after themselves.

Such was the way they lived their lives in their small town.

“What’s that?” Jiwon asked his parents who were sitting side by side.

“It means we’ll be going somewhere far, far away. And we’ll be living there, because your dad got a good job offer there. You might not be able to see Hanbin for a while.” Chaerin explained, the best she could do so to an 8 year old.

“Are we going back?” Jiwon asked, making his parents look at each other.

“Well… I’m not sure, Ji.” Sanghyun sighed. “You might have to say goodbye to your friends and Hanbin. We might take a while before going back here.”

“As long as we go back!” Jiwon grinned at his parents.

Jiwon was too young to understand that immigrating to a different country meant getting on a plane to fly somewhere far away. Spending money to buy tickets to get on that plane ride and you needed to be at least an adult to go back alone. It also meant living there, studying, making friends and staying. Jiwon was too young to realize that moving meant leaving the friends that he valued, leaving Hanbin on his own.

“When are you coming back?” It was the first question Hanbin asked him. He shrugged his shoulders as he pouted. “I’ll come back right away.”

Hanbin nodded, trying to process what was going to happen. “If you’re going to come back right away… I hope you have a good time there.”

“I’ll make sure to bring back stuff for you! I’ll bring lots of sweets!” Jiwon smiled at his best friend as they sat on their usual spot by the riverbank.

“Mm.” Hanbin smiled.

Though Hanbin’s reaction was just as Jiwon expected, the others didn’t respond the way he wanted them to. Junhoe and Donghyuk asked him to buy lots of souvenirs, contrast to his thoughts that they’ll just wish him a fun time. The twins were more on the silent side, nodding without much care when he thought they’d at least ask him to return quickly. He shook his head. These people will always be unpredictable to Jiwon.

The day of his departure, the others bid their farewell. But the one that mattered most didn’t make his appearance. Jiwon didn’t want that, didn’t accept that Hanbin would forget about this. He immediately headed over to his window, lifting it open to knock on Hanbin’s using a pole that he often used.

Knocking several times didn’t earn the attention he wanted, so he ran back down and headed to the sky blue house that stood beside theirs. He pressed the doorbell and was met with a tall man with cold eyes. He was always bothered by how Hanbin’s father looked, but he didn’t get to see him that often, so it was still unnerving to see him.

“What is it?” Hanbin’s father, Hanwool, asked. His cold eyes looking down on the child that earnestly looked at him.

“Is Hanbin here?” Jiwon asked, brows furrowed while looking at him.

“He’s in his room. He’s still asleep, just come back later to play with him.” Hanwool stated.

“I can’t! I’m leaving today. I need to say goodbye to him!” Jiwon reasoned.

Hanwool sighed, stepping aside to let the child in. “Go and wake him up then. Just don’t make so much noise.”

Jiwon knew exactly where to go. Up the stairs and the third door to the right. He knocked on it, loudly at first. Then he grabbed the doorknob, twisting it to see if he could go in.

The door opened and he saw Hanbin on the bed. “Hanbinie?” He called out. The room was dark, something unusual since Hanbin didn’t like the dark. Hanbin liked the sunlight, he wants his room to be full of light. He wants brightness to read his books, he wants the bright sunlight to cover his face with heat. Hanbin never liked the dark because it gave him nightmares.

“Hanbinie?” Jiwon called out again, reaching for the light switch.

He was surprised to see his friend curled on the bed with the blanket covering him up to his neck. “Hanbinie?” He called out again and the other finally looked up to him. “Jiwonie…?”

“Ah… Are you alright?” Jiwon asked, crossing the distance to get to Hanbin. He immediately put his hand on his friend’s forehead, checking if he had a high temperature.

“My body hurts.”

Jiwon wrinkled his forehead at the comment. “Why would it hurt?”

Hanbin didn’t answer, instead he got off from his bed to shift the subject. “Why are you here?”

“I’m leaving today, remember? I told you. I’ll be back right away but I wanted to see you of course.” Jiwon explained to him.

Jiwon was eager to explain to Hanbin that he was going to come back right away. He was planning to spend sometime there with his parents and then get back to Hanbin as soon as their trip was over. Thinking that it was a simple trip, not understanding that they’ll be moving there for good.

Hanbin nodded absentmindedly, as if understanding what Jiwon was saying. He was out of it and Jiwon knew it because Hanbin didn’t look at him while he talked. Hanbin always looked at him when he was listening, he always concentrated on the words that Jiwon said. But today, he didn’t.

“W-will you really come back fast?” Hanbin asked, Jiwon saw the worry in his eyes. There was doubt in his tone.

“Mm! I’ll make sure to come back right away! I promise!” Jiwon stated, raising his hand to give Hanbin a pinky finger. It was a sign that he was saying the truth. Jiwon always made sure to fulfil his promises. He has never broken his promises with Hanbin.

The latter looked at his raised pinky finger. Instead of hooking his finger there, Hanbin held Jiwon’s hand with both of his. “I trust you. So come back fast okay?”

Jiwon smiled. Hanbin mirrored the smile Jiwon gave him.

And then he left. Days passed, weeks go by, months turned into years and Jiwon never came back. Maybe because Hanbin never hooked his pinky on Jiwon’s finger that day… but along with the promise of coming back, Jiwon was forgotten. Along with days of happiness and bright laughter. Change swept its hand over their lives and none was the same ever since.


	3. Chapter 3

The building that stood at the opposite of the elementary building is where they housed high school and middle school students. The building where he started his education once looked like a tower before him, yet it all looked different from what he remembered. The building looked smaller compared to the one from his memory. The old U-shaped building opposite the Elementary’s L-shaped building had two more floors than the elementary building, totalling to three floors. It was taller, but it was definitely less intimidating.

He was prepared, a smile on his face and a bright future ahead. His grandparents insisted that he transfer into the school right at the start of his third year, but he insisted on going right after Winter break. He was excited, _thrilled_ , to see his childhood friends. He had to admit that the excitement he felt was mixed in with nervousness. It’s been so long since he last saw them, and he wasn’t sure if they’ll remember him.

Stepping into the entrance he was welcomed with lockers lined into different columns. If his memory serves him right, the principal’s office should be at the first floor on the west wing. He purposefully went there early to settle everything he needed. The paperwork, the transfer process and to finally learn about the school’s layout.

Jiwon couldn’t help but smile when he remembered his grandmother’s words that morning.

_“Tell me if that old principal is mean to you! I’ll make sure to give him a piece of my mind!”_

Shaking his head, he headed off to the west wing. Looking up at the hanging signage over the doors, he was looking for the principal’s office when he saw a door open. He took an unconscious step back before seeing a beautiful looking guy come out. He was stunned on his spot, surprised by the fact that someone like him could look this gorgeous.

Just behind him, however, was a face that seemed familiar. He was handsome yet ethereal. Something about him just pulls at Jiwon’s heart strings.

He suddenly gasped when his mind screamed _HANBIN!HanbinHasdkhHanbsd_

But even before he could let the word slip out of his mouth, he heard an old guy’s voice call for his attention.

“What are you doing there just staring into space? Where’s your uniform?”

Jiwon looked back at the guy, noticing that he was the one he was looking for. Mr. Lee, the principal of the school. “Where’s your uniform?” The old guy asked again.

Jiwon opened his lips to answer the question, glancing back to look at the guys who just passed him. “I was… I’m a transfer student.” He stated but the two were nowhere in sight.

“Ah… So, you’re here. Tsk. My morning just started, and I’m bombarded with nothing but Kims. You young ones really know how to ruin someone’s day.” The principal mumbled to himself but loud enough for Jiwon to hear.

The teenager wrinkled his brows, unsure why the principal would complain about the Kims. Just then, he remembered that Hanbin was also one. He bit his lip, a smile trying its best to escape its confines.

_He found Hanbin._

Unfortunately, the talk with the principal took more time than he anticipated and by the time they were done, second period had already started. Jiwon followed the principal, walking a few steps behind the old guy who was busy grumbling about. Jiwon didn’t mind, though. He was used to it. After all, his mentors in NSK were anything but nice.

Jiwon felt the principal’s hand on his shoulder, ushering him into the classroom.

“Alright, this is a transfer student who will be joining you from today onward. He’s from NSK, so be nice to him.” The principal introduced as he patted Jiwon’s back. “Have a good day!”

Jiwon was seriously confused at how ridiculous the principal’s introduction was. He could only shake his head as he looked at his classmates. “I’m Kim, Jiwon. Please take care of me.” He bowed in front of the class.

“Well… I’m not the class advisor so I don’t know where you’re supposed to sit so just go sit where it’s vacant. But don’t take up those two spaces at the back beside the window.” The teacher stated.

As Jiwon looked around the class, he furrowed his brows as he recognized other faces there. He was glad to see that there was a space at the last row at the second column of chairs. Beside that space, is where the teacher asked him not to sit.

“Well… turn to page 89 and read the fifth passage of the book.” The teacher started as soon as Jiwon got to his seat.

Jiwon was able to adjust to the curriculum since he read through his books from NSK. It was easier to understand stuff here and he was glad he could follow with the lecture. As the lecture went on, Jiwon was surprised when the back doors suddenly opened and in came two students that he saw earlier.

When he saw him this time, he was sure of it. One of the students was Hanbin.

Though he was happy to see him, he was quite surprised that that none of the people in the classroom batted an eye when they entered. No one even looked back to watch them head to their chairs, not even the teacher said anything.

Jiwon was confused, unsure what’s going on. But he hoped that he could get an answer once their break starts.

“Hey, long time no see.” Jiwon started, turning towards the two seated on the chairs by the window. Hanbin, who was slumped over his desk, sat nearest to the window. While another student, who looked beautiful, sat nearest Jiwon.

It was weird that he didn’t seem to hear that Jiwon was talking to him.

Aside from that, the people in the classroom looked in shock as he tried to approach the students who sat beside the window.

“Hey, Hanbin. I’m back.” Jiwon called out again, hoping to reach for the guy but a hand immediately held his wrist to stop what he was about to do.

“Sorry, but… he’s asleep right now. May I ask who you are?” The beautiful looking guy who Jiwon saw moments ago asked with a smile that sent a shiver down his spine. Though he admits that he did look beautiful, a tugging feeling inside his body kept telling him that it’s like a snake in a human’s clothing.

Jiwon wanted to pull his hand away from the guy’s hold but the guy held him tightly and he couldn’t even pull his hand back.

“Ah-ha! Sorry about this, Jinhwan.” Donghyuk suddenly raised, wrapping his arm over Jiwon’s shoulder.

“He’s someone we know from way back then. So… let him go this one time.” Junhoe smiled, tapping Jiwon’s arm.

“Oh… someone you knew huh…” Jinhwan observed Jiwon’s face.

Something about the way the smaller looked at him struck a nerve on Jiwon. As if the guy was looking down on him despite how he towered over the guy who was sitting down. “If you say so. Have fun!” He smiled, though the heavy air that surrounded him still didn’t disappear.

“And a hut!” Donghyuk called out which Junhoe soon joined in as they ganged up on Jiwon to pull him out of the classroom.

“Yah!” Jiwon called out, finally finding his voice back.

“You shouldn’t be shouting at us like that. If it weren’t for us, you’d be in the nurse’s office trying to piece back the bones on your wrist.” Donghyuk pouted. “How’d NSK treat you Ji?”

Jiwon furrowed his brows at Donghyuk before realization finally hit him. “Donghyuk?”

“Wah… You’re really amazing. You remember Hanbin but not us?” Donghyuk shook his head as he looked at Junhoe, “Look at this piece of shit.”

“Don’t have to say it again. I bet you he didn’t even recognize the twins.” Junhoe answered.

“Junhoe?” Jiwon called out as he looked at the other guy.

“In the flesh!”

“Damn… I didn’t think I’d ever say this, but I missed you guys!” Jiwon raised his hand, pulling both into a hug.

The two chuckled as Jiwon hugged them. It has been a while since they last saw their friend but the bond they felt over him was still apparent.

“So… walk with us for now.” Donghyuk offered which didn’t seem like one.

Jiwon knew it wasn’t just a simple invitation. Rather, it was more of a request.

“Sure… But… can you at least tell me what that whole thing was?”

“That wasn’t a _thing._ That was Kim, Jinhwan. Hanbin’s… handler?” Junhoe questioned, more to Donghyuk and himself than to Jiwon. Donghyuk looked up, seemingly thinking of an answer to that question.

Jiwon furrowed his brows. He didn’t like the term they used. “You make it sound like Hanbin’s a wild animal.”

The two glanced at each other before snorting. “Well… Anyway! Tell us about NSK!” Junhoe shifted the topic as they walked.

“It’s different from what’s here. But… wait… tell me about Hanbin and that Jinhwan guy first.” Jiwon asked, more like begging when he saw the two uninterested in answering his questions. Jiwon smiled, wiggling his eyebrows at them. “I’ll treat you both to lunch.”

“Do you think you can simply bribe us?” Donghyuk complained at him before shaking his head.

“We’re loyal people.” Junhoe followed up.

But Jiwon raised his brows at them. “I’ll buy two sets… for each.”

“Don’t think you can easily buy our forgiveness. I want the udon bowl and three pork cutlets.” Donghyuk answered as he glared at Jiwon while Junhoe added, “And three servings of set C.”

“You guys are still pigs.” Jiwon scoffs as he smiled at them before shaking his head. Though it was more of a comforting tease than anything.

“We don’t have enough time to talk about it right now so let’s talk about it at lunch.” Junhoe said, patting Jiwon’s shoulders as if there’s this mysterious air around him.

“Ah… I know you must miss Hanbin a lot, but… he won’t remember you.” Donghyuk dropped the bomb which surprised Jiwon.

“W-What do you mean he won’t remember me?”

“To be exact… He forgot everything about his childhood. So… let’s talk it over lunch. And the reason I’m telling you this now is because… you have to stop yourself from trying to talk to him. We’ll let you know the reason later.”

Though Jiwon wanted to know more about what’s happening, he held his tongue and waited to know more. It was only two more subjects before lunchbreak and after waiting for years, he knows that waiting for just a few more hours wouldn’t make much of a difference.

And even if he did say he’ll wait, he couldn’t help but notice how close that Jinhwan guy was to Hanbin. They slept on their desks and if he didn’t know any better, he’d think the guy was making out with Hanbin.

If the twins didn’t shoot deadly glares his way, he would probably be staring at Hanbin and Jinhwan for the rest of the subject or for as long as he could leave his eyes open without blinking. It was odd to see Hanbin this close to someone else, someone that wasn’t _him_. There was a tugging feeling inside his chest. _Jealousy_ and he hated it.

As soon as lunch started, Donghyuk and Junhoe immediately pulled him out of the classroom and out into the nearby convenience store. Completely disregarding the cafeteria, where Jiwon was intending to go.

“Why are we leaving school grounds? Is this even allowed?” Jiwon asked and the two just laughed at him.

The two brought Jiwon in a cozy little convenience store near their school. Grabbing a basket, they immediately filled it with food before letting Jiwon pay for it.

“You two… Is he paying for all of this?” The cashier, who looked like she was only older by a few years, asked the two. “Are you trying to bully this kid to buy you guys lunch?!”

“Eh? But Yejin-noona this is Jiwon! He just came back so he’s treating us to food.” Junhoe immediately called out.

“Jiwon? Kim Jiwon?” Yejin called out, looking at the guy who was standing between Donghyuk and Junhoe. “Wah! You grew up nicely.” She smiled.

“Ah… thank you, noona.” Jiwon smiled shyly.

“If they’re bothering you, let me know. This stupid cousin of mine always gets into trouble so report to me if anything happens. Okay?”

“When do they not, though?” Jiwon answered with a chuckle.

“Ah… That’s true. Some things just never change. Well, take this one too. I’m betting those two will just finish everything in that basket. So this one… is for you! Nice to see you again Jiwon. Now go eat before the end of your lunch!” She shooed them all away.

After eating their food at the table outside the convenience store, Jiwon wanted to know more about Hanbin and of course the guy who sat beside him.

“Before we answer any of your questions, you should answer ours. Why didn’t you say at least say goodbye to us on the day you left?” Donghyuk asked, his tone had changed from the merry one they were using to this serious one. His tone was dark, as if planning to hit Jiwon if his answer wasn’t to his liking.

“I did… well… Since I already said goodbye, I just told Hanbin when we were departing because I thought I’d come back right away. But honestly, I’ve been sending letters nonstop! I never received a reply but… I sent letters.” Jiwon answered.

The two just looked at each other before sighing.

“That’s reasonable because after you left, no matter how much we defended Hanbin someone got to him. Unfortunately no matter how many times we asked who it was, he refused to tell us about it. We asked, so many times until he was confined in the hospital.” Donghyuk explained. Starting it off from where Jiwon left or at least from where his memory served him.

“Something happened to him back then and no matter how many times we visited, he was always unconscious, and his parents wouldn’t let us go anywhere near him. And then the accident.” Junhoe said.

“What accident?”

“Didn’t any of your family members tell you about the explosions?” Junhoe followed up. Jiwon just shook his head. Unsure what to answer because his family never did tell him anything.

We don’t know who did it… But Hanbin’s house exploded and it almost took out yours too. It’s stupid… because Hanbin was in the hospital when it happened but those idiot investigators were no use.” Donghyuk said between gritted teeth. “Apparently someone tipped them off and said that Hanbin made the bomb to scare his bullies, but it exploded in their house instead and that brought him to the hospital when the truth is, he has been staying there before the explosion.”

“That’s insane. Hanbin would never do anything like that!” Jiwon blasted, angered at what the two stated.

The two scoffed at him. “That’s exactly what we said but since we were kids, they told us off and said that we’d obviously defend him because he’s our friend.”

“Well… what happened after that? Please tell me that he didn’t get charged for it?”

“Luckily… Jinhwan’s dad came into the picture, but it turned into a cold case because they couldn’t find a solid evidence to pin the blame on Hanbin.” Junhoe said.

“So… his dad is… an investigator?”

“I guess that’s what he is?” Junhoe wondered, furrowing his brows as he thought about it.

“Anyway! After that time… the two practically became inseparable. We don’t know what happened between them, but when we came to see Hanbin… he forgot all about us.” Junhoe added. “To be exact, he forgot everything. Like having an amnesia!”

“They said it was something about repressing his trauma. No matter what we did to make him remember, he just doesn’t. Eventually we had to start from scratch and befriend him.” Donghyuk stated. “And boy, it is _not_ an easy thing to do. Especially with how guarded he is.”

“Jinhwan guards him?”

“No, you idiot! Hanbin! I meant that Hanbin is guarded. Worse than how he was before.” Junhoe blasted as he clicked his tongue.

“He must’ve gone through so much if he regressed…” Jiwon closed his eyes as he

“No shit! He’s even worse now than when I approached you guys before.” Junhoe huffed, shaking his head as he looked at Jiwon. “That said… Why’d you suddenly come back anyway?”

“You idiot, of course, he came back for _that_!” Donghyuk raised, pointing out to Junhoe as if he’d forgotten something important. Junhoe furrowed his brows, unsure what his friend was talking about. “ _That_! Remember that promise!” Donghyuk added as he clicked his tongue.

Junhoe snapped his fingers as he nodded, his mouth forming a big ‘O’ as he realized what it was. “ _That_ one. Tough luck! You can’t just waltz back into his life thinking that he’d remember you.”

“But what if he does?” Jiwon stubbornly asked. “It’s not that hard to try and check it right?”

“Of course not. But… just make sure not to get on Jinhwan’s bad side. It’s one thing to try, but its another to get banned from talking to Hanbin altogether.” Donghyuk explained.

“You make it sound like Hanbin is his property.”

“Hah! Look who’s talking! You protected Hanbin the same way when we were kids!” Junhoe grumbled at him. “If I were to choose, Jinhwan’s way better at taking care of Hanbin than you!”

“Okay, let’s calm down.” Donghyuk hummed. “It’s not that he’s Jinhwan’s property but with Hanbin’s state, Jinhwan is just overprotective of him for a reason. Plus, this is just some advice from us. You don’t have to do it if you don’t want to. Just make sure you don’t come crying to us when Hanbin hates you.”

Jiwon clicked his tongue as he thought about what the two stated. It seems like he’s going to have to take a reroute to his plan. But hearing what the two said, he’ll try to talk to Hanbin to check it out himself.

After returning to their classroom, Jiwon noticed that Donghyuk and Junhoe immediately approached Jinhwan.

“We were looking for you. Did you finish eating yet?” Jinhwan asked, grabbing his bag to pull out something from it.

Donghyuk and Junhoe laughed, mumbling a thank you when Jinhwan handed them food. “Here. I saved you some.”

“Thanks!” Donghyuk chuckled. “Oh, by the way… This is Jiwon.” He said, looking back to Jiwon who was just staring at them. “He’s actually one of our childhood friends. But like what the principal said, he went to NSK.”

“Ah, nice to meet you Jiwon. I’m Kim, Jinhwan.” Jinhwan smiled at him, tilting his head to the side. “This is Kim, Hanbin.” Hanbin, for the first time, looked at JIwon.

And as if it was a dream, everything around him stopped moving. Jiwon could only hear the way his heart thumped in his chest. The man he’s been longing to meet was right there, looking at him. His throat clumped as he held his breath, unable to say anything while they looked at each other.

“Binie?” Jinhwan called out and the man beside him just leaned his head on his shoulder, snuggling closer to his neck. “You need to greet people when you meet them, Hanbinie.”

Hanbin just hummed against Jinhwan’s back and the guy just shook his head as he let out a huff. “Sorry, he’s… usually timid like this.”

Jiwon couldn’t help but grit his teeth as he contained his emotions inside. “Yeah… I guess some things don’t change.”

Donghyuk and Junhoe glanced at each other, shaking their heads since Jiwon obviously didn’t listen to their warning earlier.

“Of course they do.” Jinhwan snickered. “Change is the only constant in life, you know.”

There was something about the way Jinhwan smiled at Jiwon that sent a shiver down his spine. It wasn’t fake, but it wasn’t real either. Somehow, the way he looked at Jiwon just felt threatening. It was getting dangerous when they finally heard the bell ring, signalling the end of lunch break.

They all scampered back to their seats before the teacher arrived. On the other hand, Jiwon could feel Jinhwan still staring at him, observing him. He glanced to his left, to where Jinhwan was seated, and the guy simply smiled at him again. “What is it?” Jiwon asked.

The other guy just chuckled before shaking his head and sitting properly on his chair to look up front. He patted Hanbin’s head and the guy just scrunched his face.

Jiwon could feel a fiery grip on his heart, seeing the two interacting like a couple just didn’t sit right with him. He hated it. He simply looked away, clenching his jaw as he pulled out his book to read through it.

At the end of their classes, everyone rushed out of the classrooms to get home. Jiwon stood from his chair and turned away, hoping to get an early rest. His heart was heavy, and his mind was scratched in turmoil. Unsure what he’s supposed to do with what he just found out.

He just needed to get a shut-eye and maybe he could devise a new plan.

“Hey Ji, do you wanna come with?” Jiwon looked back when he heard Donghyuk call him. His eyes landed on the twins who were still glaring at him and Jinhwan who was smiling at him. Then his gaze fell on Hanbin, who was looking at him blankly. And though he wanted to say yes, to finally spend time with Hanbin… he shook his head. “I’ll take a rain check.”

Jiwon turned away, heart heavy and mind confused.

When he arrived at their home, his grandmother immediately smothered him with a hug and a kiss before guiding him into their kitchen to feed him soup. His grandparents asked him about his first day in school and he just told them that he adjusted pretty quickly. Since he was still unsure about the whole issue with Hanbin, he decided not to talk about his childhood friends just yet.

After the soup, he headed into his room to lay down on the bed. His eyes looked up at the skylight as he drowned in his mind’s thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's it for this update!  
> I wanted it to be a bit of a slow pace but honestly, I just needed to put out the details. haha.   
> Hope ya had fun reading.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm thinking of just updating this once a month because I dunno if people read it. But since some do, I'll just continue the pacing of once a month. If I manage to finish other stuff in between then I'll put them up as well.   
> Hope yall like this.

The night’s rest wasn’t really enough for Jiwon. Even though he skipped supper, he still felt troubled. But there was one thing he was certain. He wanted to talk to Hanbin. No. He _needs_ to talk to Hanbin today.

No matter what the other says, he’ll cross Jinhwan if he needs to just so he could talk to Hanbin.

But upon his arrival to their classroom, their other classmates immediately surrounded him.

“Hey, Jiwon, why are you hanging out those problematic kids?”

On of their classmates asked. Jiwon furrowed his brows, unsure why they’d suddenly ask this to him. He then realized that he doesn’t really know his classmates’ names and faces. He licked his lips before answering. “What do you mean problematic kids?”

They glanced at each other, concern apparent on their faces. “Since you’re new, you don’t know about them. Actually, those kids who are sitting by the window, they’re complete psychos!”

Jiwon flinched with what he heard. “What do you mean?”

“One of them made an explosive to get back to his bullies but it backfired on him and it exploded in their house. His parents died trying to save him from the fire. And the other one…” They trailed off.

“The other one’s a total psycho. His parents were murderers and that’s why he acts like a complete psychopath sometimes!”

Jiwon furrowed his brows as he gritted his teeth. “What are you guys talking about?”

“We’re just telling you this for your own good Jiwon-sshi. There are so many rumours floating around and most of them are true. And the twins that hang around them all the time. They always give out this weird vibe as if they’d stab you if you ever get anywhere near them. It’s because they’re actually part of the mafia.”

“There’s rumours that they’re mafia heirs!”

“And those other two crazy ones! They would beat up people for fun. They’d even make a bet who can beat up someone more!”

“Donghyuk looks like he would just beat you up if you got on his nerves!”

“Didn’t Junhoe beat up that senior last year? Donghyuk was there with them and they were laughing while doing that.”

Jiwon was surprised to hear these weird rumours floating around. He knows those people and it’s impossible for them to do anything like that. He wanted to defend them but somehow his voice wasn’t coming out. Doubt was right there, pressed against him as he listened to what his classmates were saying. Its ugly head settled onto the crown of his head, pushing him to listen.

Suddenly, the doors opened and everyone scampered away back to their seats when they saw who it was. Donghyuk and Junhoe came in with smiles on their faces, chuckling. The twins followed behind them. Jiwon didn’t notice it yesterday but there was this heavy tension in the room when they entered. They didn’t even hide their disdain for the four people that entered, if anything they were all giving the four guys scornful glances.

“Hey, Ji!” Donghyuk called out and Jiwon was about to greet back when he felt everyone’s eyes directed to him. It felt like he was under a spotlight and he could feel his insides trembling in disbelief.

Jiwon shook off the feeling as he nodded at Donghyuk. He noticed how Junhoe had a large plaster on his cheek and another one on the side of his lip. He suddenly wondered, why he looked like that. “What happened to you?”

Junhoe just grinned at him without giving him an answer as they sat on their respective chairs. Jiwon wanted to ask if there was anything wrong but the way the twins were glaring at him, it felt like he was under so much pressure.

_‘I’ve always liked how they have that pressure on the way they looked but I guess it’s different when I’m in the receiving end.’_ Jiwon thought to himself.

When classes started, Jiwon was curious where Hanbin and Jinhwan were. Though it is his second day in school, it was weird that they were late.

“Hey…” Jiwon whispered to his seatmate who simply looked at him with raised brows. “About those two beside me. The ones sitting by the window… Do they usually come in late?”

“Ah… the Kims right? They get special privileges.” The guys beside him, who was named Jiseuk, stated as he shrugged his shoulders.

Though Jiwon could hear jealousy leaking out of his words, he furrowed his brows as he continued to ask. “What do you mean special privileges?”

“They come in whenever they want to like the delinquents they are. But they get those privileges because of their connections.” He answered. “They’re like filthy rich so the principal doesn’t really care as long as he gets paid.”

Jiwon let out a sigh, unsure what the hell was going on. He felt like he needed to know more, and by that, he meant he really needed to talk to Hanbin and maybe even that Jinhwan dude.

“But seriously… you heard what the others said. If I were you, I’d keep my distance from them. They’re all bad news.” Jiseuk whispered.

Jiwon bit his lip as he glanced at them. He noticed how Yunhyeong smirked at him before shaking his head and looking at their teacher’s lecture.

Somehow, Jiwon felt his hair stand at the odd behaviour. The twins were always hard to get along with. They were closed off when he started to pull them into their group, but they trusted Hanbin. He knows that they’re different, but it didn’t mean they were bad. Different didn’t always mean that they should be ostracized, people just didn’t take kindly to them.

Jiwon shook his head as he looked up front. He listened to the lecture instead, the things he needed to do seemed to be piling up. But more than that, he needed to know about this whole rumour fiasco and what the heck is going on.

As soon as the bell rang for lunch, Jinhwan and Hanbin stood in a perfect unison. They were followed by the twins then Donghyuk and lastly Junhoe. Jiwon noticed how the other students visibly flinched as they stood up, and though they didn’t do anything to warrant such scared looks, everyone looked uncomfortable around them.

Seeing this, Jiwon couldn’t help but feel that these people are misunderstanding his childhood friends.

“Ji, are you coming?” He heard Donghyuk’s voice calling him. Turning his head, he noticed that their group was already by the doors when Donghyuk stopped to call him.

Jiwon noticed the odd glances and concerned peeks that their classmates were giving him. He immediately shook his head before turning back to look at Donghyuk who had raised his brows at him. Confusion evident in his eyes as he waited for Jiwon’s movement. “No?”

“Yeah, I’m coming.” Jiwon stood from his chair before following Donghyuk. As soon as they left the classroom, he heard concerned murmurs and panicked grumbles.

“What’s that all about?” The guy couldn’t help himself from asking his friend. Though he didn’t believe the rumours, he felt a newfound sense of wariness beside the man his other classmates talked about. And even if he didn’t want to, he felt like he was far away from them.

“What?” Donghyuk answered with a weird look on his face.

Jiwon bit his tongue before letting out what he was thinking about again. But when he noticed the others waiting for Donghyuk, he suddenly pulled the words back in his mind. “Nevermind. Where do you guys usually eat?”

An entertained smile shot out of his friend’s lips as he nodded for him to follow.

A bright blue sky awaited them, the fresh breeze stroked their faces as they stepped into the rooftop. Jiwon was surprised that they had access to such a place. Aside from several water tanks on the rooftop, there were also plastic storage boxes lazily placed all over the place. They were mostly placed around the rooftop just by the metal fence that surrounded the rooftop, acting like chairs to sit on. Although he could see that it was generally used as a storage with different things out in the open, he did notice that there was a repurposed couch under a makeshift sun shelter. There were several pillows on the couch and he wondered if they made all of that. Despite the place looking like a warehouse, it still felt somewhat homey.

“You guys made that?” Was the first question Jiwon let out when he saw them heading straight for the sun shelter.

“Mm. Sometimes the sun is too bright.” Jinhwan was the one who answered his question.

Jiwon had to do a double-take on the smiling guy who answered his question. Though he didn’t really appoint the question to anyone, he was surprised to hear him answer. Jiwon always felt odd around him and looking at him properly this time, he realized why he felt so.

Jinhwan may be smiling, but that smile never reached his eyes. It was like looking at an empty shell which only painted a smile on his face to fake the friendly atmosphere around him.

“Ah.” Jiwon let out, nodding before looking away from him.

“Let’s eat! I’m famished!” Junhoe grumbled before pulling a pillow from the couch.

Jinhwan immediately clapped as he looked at Yunhyeong. The guy immediately reached for the reusable bag and passed out food to everyone. Jiwon was quite amazed at how coordinated everyone was.

“Did you bring your own lunch, Jiwon? We do have some spare if you’d like some.” Jinhwan urged him.

Jiwon felt a cold chill slide down behind him as he listened to Jinhwan’s voice. Though the words he said were anything but threatening, he still felt like his insides trembled. He immediately waved his hand as he answered. “Nah, my grandma made me lunch.”

Jinhwan nodded. “We’re happy to share.”

It was the last thing he said before sitting on the couch right beside Hanbin. Just then, he realized that he didn’t have a place to sit on aside from the spare space beside Jinhwan. He really didn’t want to sit there but the way Chanwoo was glaring at him as if he’d be kicked out if he didn’t sit made him move.

He let out a silent sigh as he neared the couch, his heart pounding as he reached for the couch when Yunhyeong suddenly called him. “Be careful where you sit.”

They all looked at Jiwon when Yunhyeong said this. Jiwon, on the other hand, stumbled back when heard that tone used on him. He was quite surprised to hear Yunhyeong’s voice. It sounded so different.

“Yunhyeong-ah… you scared him.” Jinhwan said. “Here, you can sit beside Donghyuk.” Jinhwan continued while reaching out a pillow for Jiwon to take.

“Uhh… Thanks?” Jiwon answered before reaching for the pillow.

He cautiously started to eat alongside the others. However, he couldn’t take his eyes away from Hanbin and Jinhwan who were sharing. Jinhwan kept feeding Hanbin like he was some kind of toddler. He had to admit that even though he liked protecting Hanbin before, he would never do such a thing as baby him. It got on his nerves that they acted like they were lovers more than anything. And for the first time, his grandmother's food made him tasted like sand in his mouth.

After sharing a meal, Jiwon noticed how they’ve all fallen into a natural flow of conversation which seemed closed off. He wanted to say something to join but somehow, they gave off a feeling that they didn’t want him to say anything. His eyes wandered around, locking itself to Hanbin who fell asleep on Jinhwan’s shoulder while their hands were interlocked with each other.

“Oh, by the way, something interesting happened. Junhoe won the bet yesterday.”

Jiwon suddenly flinched when he heard what Donghyuk said. He warily looked at Junhoe who was shaking his head.

“I got hit because of you, idiot!” Junhoe called out before pulling Donghyuk into a headlock.

Despite the laughter and chuckles surrounding the group, Jiwon felt a lump in his throat as he remembered what their classmates told him. He didn’t want to believe the rumours, in fact, he didn’t want to assume things. But hearing something like that made him doubt things.

“You look uncomfortable there, Ji. Anything wrong?” Donghyuk called out with a smirk while still trapped in a headlock.

Everyone’s gazes fell on Jiwon at that moment. It was the moment when Jinhwan’s eyes fell on him that he finally answered, “No, I’m not. I’m just not sure when I should chime into your topics.”

“Hmmm? You looked like you were thinking of something fun. Tell us.” Donghyuk called out, pushing Junhoe’s arm away.

“Pfft. You don’t have to look like you’re gonna cry.” Junhoe chuckled.

Jiwon took that as a hint that he wanted to lighten the mood for him. Though that’s not really what Junhoe’s intention was. Jiwon sighed out to answer but before he could, Donghyuk suddenly talked before him.

“Ah, did the kids back there warn you about us yet? There’s a whole lot of rumours flying around, you know.”

At that moment, Jiwon realized that they must’ve heard what the other students told him that morning. His gaze steadied on Donghyuk, who was only looking at him with a smirk. In their group before, Donghyuk was always one who he got along with. Not only because they were energetic, but because Donghyuk was also witty. He and Donghyuk would often have each other’s back to get out of several situations. But he couldn’t deny that Donghyuk was also cunning when it came to people he didn’t like.

Seeing the subtle hostility from Donghyuk was normal. He was always fierce towards people who believed things without reason. But despite the dagger-like words aimed at him, there was worry evident in his eyes as he looked at Jiwon.

“You know that I don’t believe things I hear from others without just cause or evidence. Besides, you guys would never do any of those stupid rumours.” Jiwon stated, as if he was sure that everything he heard from his classmates, were lies.

Donghyuk cackled after hearing what Jiwon said. Jiwon was confused at the reaction but as he wondered why, he heard Jinhwan click his tongue. “Noisy.”

“Ah! I’m sorry Jinan, haha! I’m sorry. It’s just so fucking funny. I can’t help but laugh.” Donghyuk answered. “A lot could change in that ten years, Ji. Do you really think we would never do what the rumours say?”

“I believe you wouldn’t have done them for your self-enjoyment.”

Donghyuk and Junhoe glanced at each other before laughing again. Jinhwan simply rolled his eyes as he let out a sigh while the twins looked away from Jiwon. The two held their stomachs, as if they heard something so ridiculous that their laughter just showed how much of a joke they think Jiwon’s words were.

“Let me tell you one thing… Rumours come from bystanders who can’t keep their facts straight. But in this case? All those floating rumours you heard were true.” Junhoe smiled at Jiwon. Though he was smiling, Jiwon could see the doubt in Junhoe’s eyes. And even if his smile stated how proud he was of what he said as if he was issuing a challenge to Jiwon and awaiting what his answer would be, his eyes said a different story.

A part of Jiwon refused to believe it, despite hearing Junhoe confess it. But a part of him immediately accepted the words that his friend let out, though he knew exactly why he did. “You would never do that without reason. I don’t care if it’s 10, 20, or how many years, I know you guys would never beat anyone up for fun because you always protected someone else.”

Jiwon felt his heart hammer inside his chest after giving out his answer. He was sure of it. Even if the rumours were true, he was sure that his friends would never beat up people without just cause. Though he wanted to point out that they’ve always protected Hanbin with him, he couldn’t bring it up when Jinhwan was there. He wanted to show off that he also knew Hanbin but he was still wary of Jinhwan. There was just something about how he looked at Jiwon that felt like a vicious predator to its prey.

As he thought of this, however, he saw Donghyuk and Junhoe’s lips curl into a smile. It was different from those that bore ridicule behind them, this was genuine that even reached their eyes. Their gazes immediately turned to the twins who have been quiet this whole time.

Donghyuk shrugged his shoulders. “Well. what do you know, isn’t he just like the Jiwon we know?”

“He betrayed us. He broke his promise and forgot all about us.”

Jiwon turned his head towards Yunhyeong. His mind was suddenly flooded with all kinds of thoughts. He then realized why the twins have been glaring at him all this time. It was as if some of his questions had been answered by that one sentence. “I never forgot about you guys. I always sent letters. You guys never replied to me.”

“Stop it with your bullshit. You don’t even deserve to be with us.”

Jiwon flinched at the openly hostile feeling that was leaking out of Yunhyeong. Although he could somewhat understand that accepting him back openly wasn’t going to be easy, the reaction Yunhyeong was showing him felt like there was more to it than just simply breaking a promise and forgetting. It felt like Yunhyeong was blaming him for something and though he wanted to know what it was, talking to Yunhyeong would take time to pull it out of the guy.

He knows fully well how secretive the twins could be. But it was unfair to get this kind of treatment when he knew that he didn’t do anything wrong, or so he wanted to think. He pondered, hoping to ease the situation but Yunhyeong didn’t stop there.

“You can’t just come back and pretend like everything’s the same. It’s not. You’re not the leader you once thought you were.”

“Yunhye—” Jiwon wanted to say, but Jinhwan opened his mouth at the same time as he did.

“Yunhyeongie, you shouldn’t say something like that to your childhood friend.”

“I’m not the only one who has this opinion, Jinan. Those two know it too. Even if they act all friendly towards him, they know how he betrayed us. He shouldn’t be here with us.” Yunhyeong complained as if Jiwon wasn’t there to listen to his ramblings.

Jiwon looked at Donghyuk and Junhoe to see their reactions, they met his eyes before looking away as confirmation to the words the Yunhyeong spilt out. Hearing that Yunhyeong thinks he betrayed them felt painful, as if his heart was clenched in his chest.

If Yunhyeong thought that way, he wondered if Hanbin felt the same. He couldn’t fathom how Hanbin must’ve felt back then when he didn’t come back right away when he promised that he would. He clenched his jaw as he heard Jinhwan speak again.

“We should ask Hanbin for his opinion in this matter. I’m sure he’ll iron things out.” Jinhwan started to rub Hanbin’s arm, cooing at the guy to awaken.

Jiwon made the mistake of looking at the scene, because once he saw Hanbin push up his chin to land a kiss on Jinhwan’s lips. His body froze at what he saw.

“…not yet,” Hanbin whispered absentmindedly.

“B-Bin… wait… I’m telling you something… about their childhood—” “Talk too much.” Hanbin uttered as he covered the Jinhwan’s lips with his again, making Jinhwan shut up. It was just lips against lips at first until Jinhwan closed one eye when Hanbin started using his tongue.

Jiwon felt something inside shatter at what was happening in front of him. His mind was in a complete turmoil and though everyone else didn’t say anything, his body reacted on its own to stop them. No matter how heavy his chest became, his steps were light as he rushed towards the two to separate them.

He didn’t hear the other’s calling his name, nor did he hear their warning shrieks as his hand landed on Hanbin and Jinhwan’s shoulders to pull them apart. His heart was aching, that was all he could think about as he did so. He didn’t want to witness their kiss, nor did he want to feel his heart break further.

Though, in the past, he knew that Hanbin hated it when he was woken up all of a sudden. He remembered how Hanbin would often cry or throw a tantrum whenever his sleep was disturbed but no matter how much he did so, Jiwon would always console him until he managed to get out of that sleep drunkenness.

But contrary to his memory, Hanbin didn’t do any of the things Jiwon thought he would do. And that’s when Jiwon realized that Donghyuk was right.

_A lot could change in that ten years, Ji._

Jiwon held his breath as Hanbin pinned him on the ground. Hanbin’s eyes were blazing with an emotion that Jiwon has never seen before. He gritted his teeth as Hanbin’s hand on his neck continued to choke him, while his eyes shook at the sight of Hanbin’s other hand, fisted to punch him.

For the first time, since he came back, his heart shook at who Hanbin has become. His memory of the boy who would always cling to him slowly broke, as if wanting to shatter and disappear. He braced himself when he noticed that Hanbin was about to punch him, closing his eyes before he heard Jinhwan shout.

“HANBIN!!!”

Hanbin’s fist stopped in mid-air at the sound of Jinhwan’s voice. His eyes clouded over as his lips shook. He immediately let go of Jiwon as he backed away, “S-s-sorry… I’m sorry…” He whispered before turning to Jinhwan who opened his arms to welcome Hanbin. He took in a shaky breath as he buried his face on Jinhwan’s neck and embraced his body, erasing the gap that was once there.

Jinhwan pulled Hanbin into a tight embrace as his eyes flared with emotions akin to anger, loathing, hatred. They weren’t directed to Jiwon, which he noticed as soon as he opened his eyes. It felt like the emotions that Jinhwan held in his eyes were for someone else. But when their eyes met, he couldn’t help but shiver at the murderous intent that hid behind that gaze.

“I welcome you here because they are friends you’ve known when you were young. But there is one thing you must never forget no matter how much you know them… You _cannot_ separate Hanbin from me.” Jinhwan stated between gritted teeth as he turned his head to bury it onto Hanbin’s neck.

Jiwon held his neck as he looked at Hanbin and Jinhwan. His chest was so tight that he felt like something was stabbing him continuously. In his mind he saw himself in the place of Jinhwan. He was supposed to be the one who consoled Hanbin. He was supposed to be the one who was there for Hanbin. He was supposed to be with Hanbin. But he wasn’t the one.

The tension became heavier as the silence grew. At that moment, Chanwoo, who has been silent from the start, stood from his seat before grabbing Jiwon by the arm. Though flustered, Jiwon followed Chanwoo. Chanwoo continued to pull him out into the rooftop door and before he closed it, he said this to Jiwon.

“Go and cool your head for now. I’ll talk to you after classes are done.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heya!
> 
> Here's the next update! I tried my best to put up a longer one. heh.  
> It's been a while but I think this kind of schedule fits me better. An update once a month is better for me since it fits with my sched. hehe. But if I do feel like it I will try to upload more.
> 
> Hope yall like this update!

Jiwon let out a deep sigh after washing his face with cold water. His mind was still in a turmoil, but he didn’t know what else to do. The scene of Hanbin and Jinhwan kissing still haunted his mind, appearing like a flashcard that repeated its content in his mind. He bit his lip as he remembered it again and immediately splashed some more water on his face.

“Fuck.” He let out in a frustrated gasp. His mind was still heated despite the cold water that he continued to splash on his face.

As he gasped for breath, he swallowed a lump in his throat before remembering the words Chanwoo said. He couldn’t help but look up, gazing right at the rooftop’s metal fence. He took a deep breath as the water slithered down his face before turning his back to head to their classroom.

Jiwon got through the rest of the day with an empty mind and a heavy heart. He couldn’t even remember the lectures that they discussed that day. All he could think about was the event that transpired on the rooftop and the words Chanwoo uttered. The moment Hanbin’s lips came into contact with Jinhwan and the way Hanbin almost punched him. It kept replaying in his mind like some kind of broken tape recorder. He didn’t even realize that the final bell had rung until his seatmate shook his shoulder.

“Are you alright?” Jiseuk asked, “It’s the end of the day. Aren’t you heading home yet?”

Jiwon parted his lips to answer that question, but words didn’t want to leave his lips. He couldn’t help but notice that his childhood friends didn’t even ask him to hang out anymore. Though he watched them walk out of the classroom, he didn’t call them out. As soon as they left, their other classmates rushed towards him.

They pressed their concerned gazes and worried words, Jiwon couldn’t pull himself to concentrate and answer them. He could hear nothing but accusations and predictions that didn’t bear any connection to what happened earlier. He respectfully smiled at them as he pulled his bag onto his shoulder. “Sorry guys. I’ll head home first. My head’s been bugging me since this morning, so I’ll head home now.”

As he walked out of the building, his mind flashed back to Chanwoo’s eyes. Even when they were kids, Chanwoo was someone that communicated well with the look in his eyes. Somehow or the other, his feet led him to the playground that they used to play at. His attention was caught by two siblings who were helping each other by the sandbox. The taller one was patting the smaller one’s shorts that seemed to be filled with sand.

As he watched them, Jiwon remembered his childhood with Hanbin. The times when they would play in the same playground, and he’d often take care of Hanbin. The way he’d defend him or when they would build sand castles on the sandbox. He remembered how Hanbin would often smile with the brightest smile whenever they successfully make a sandcastle, the highlight of his childhood.

_“Ji-hyung is great at making sandcastles.” Hanbin would always cheer, smiling with his chubby cheeks._

Jiwon was pulled out of his reverie when he felt someone kick the sole of his shoes. He immediately looked back to see Chanwoo. He didn’t really notice it before, but Chanwoo had grown taller than him. They were still in high school, and the guy was already planning to pass the 5 foot standard for men. If he had to estimate, Chanwoo would probably be around 5’10’’ and 2 more inches, and he’d be crossing the 6-foot territory. Something that Jiwon thought the other could reach.

“Why did you come back?” Chanwoo asked without hesitations.

Jiwon shook his head as he looked at the other. “Getting straight to the point, huh?” A sigh escaped his lips as he looked back at the brothers that he was observing moments before Chanwoo’s appearance. “I came back to fulfil a promise I made with Hanbin.”

“And what kind of promise is it?” Jiwon could feel the venom leaking out of Chanwoo’s tone. It was as if he was waiting for a moment to strike as if Jiwon’s answers needed to prove it worthy for Chanwoo to approve of it.

“It’s between Hanbin and I.” Jiwon answered, glancing at the giant that looked down on him. He didn’t want to meet Chanwoo’s gaze for longer than intended. He knew how fast Chanwoo read the atmosphere, and sometimes he hated that about him.

“A promise is one thing, but do you really expect me not to pry about it? I’m nothing like Donghyuk and Junhoe who wouldn’t probe about that said promise. Though…” Chanwoo scoffed, showing off that he knew what Jiwon was talking about, “…if you’re talking about what I think you are, then you’ve wasted your time going back here. There’s no one waiting for you, nor is there anyone willing to fulfil that promise.”

“I didn’t come here to listen about that kind of crap from you,” Jiwon said, pushing himself off the rail to walk away when his steps halted at the sound of Chanwoo’s voice.

“You should know that this is all your fault.”

Jiwon turned around to look at Chanwoo, baffled at the proclamation of a sin that he doesn’t remember committing. “Are you out of your mind? How is this my fault?”

“Do you think Hanbin would change if it weren’t for you? This is all because of you. This is because you left us, you left _him_. That’s why he changed because the person he relied on the most disappeared and never came back.” Chanwoo stated, venomous threats laced into his words as he glared at Jiwon.

He didn’t want to see Hanbin lose it again just because of Jiwon. He saw the times that Hanbin spent in the hospital, the fear etched in his eyes when he first saw them, the way Hanbin’s body shook and trembled because he thought they would hurt him.

“You said you would protect him, but all you did was run away with your tail between your legs. You never came back nor did you ask about Hanbin’s condition or even ours. What kind of friend are you?” Chanwoo’s tone was threatening, accusing Jiwon.

And though Jiwon could feel how much hatred Chanwoo felt towards him, he couldn’t help but feel apologetic. Thinking about it, his letters never received a reply. He deduced that it had something to do with a wrong address or that the letters never did make it to the addressee. Thinking more about it now, his grandparents, specifically his grandmother, was highly opposed to his connection with Hanbin. And with the rumours floating around, he could already imagine why she didn’t give his friends the letters.

“One that didn’t have the power to do anything. And I hate to disappoint you, but I’m still as powerless as I was back then, but at least I’ve manned up to come back just like I promised I would. It wasn’t easy for me back there too, but that’s why I wanted to come back. Because if you guys weren’t important to me then I wouldn’t have worked hard to come back!” Jiwon answered, raising a challenge against Chanwoo’s accusations. “I know it sounds like an excuse, and I apologize if that is the case, but I did everything I could. I couldn’t do anything back then because I was young, but it’s different now.”

“Well, it isn’t enough, is it?”

Jiwon could see the glare etched in Chanwoo’s eyes as he turned. It was evident that Chanwoo grew. He was more mature now. He had grown out of the cocoon of timidity that surrounded him when they were younger. If it wasn’t clear before, seeing this change from Chanwoo just provided a new perspective to him. They’ve all changed.

“Thanks to you, Hanbin had to go through hell when his so-called saviour disappeared. Those kids you beat up to defend him? They all targeted Hanbin the moment they found out that you were gone. He suffered because of you, and you think you can just come back here thinking that you could own him? Not a chance.” Chanwoo’s voice was a tone lower than what he usually used, and it sounded sinister, more threatening than it was before.

“That’s not your call to make.” Jiwon answered, not backing down.

“Gladly it’s not. If it is, I would’ve been the first to beat you up. The only reason I’m not doing anything is because…” He trailed off with a grin. “But we’ll never know when that changes.”

“So, this is all a personal grudge? What? You’re threatening me like some kind of criminal because you hate me for not coming back?” Jiwon asked.

The grin on Chanwoo’s face disappeared after what Jiwon said. “No. I hate you for leaving and doing that to Hanbin.”

“Then you should’ve protected him. Stop blaming it on me when you guys didn’t do it properly!” Jiwon raised his voice. He was getting agitated because of the threatening air that surrounded Chanwoo. It was getting harder to hold himself back.

Chanwoo scoffed, sneering at Jiwon after that comment. “Ten years. You’ve been gone for ten years. You don’t call the shots anymore. And whether you like it or not, the only thing you have are memories. To you, they may be precious, but to Hanbin… they’re useless. You can’t keep living in the past because no one’s prepared to back you up, especially when it comes to Hanbin. Remember, we all came together because we wanted to protect him. We stayed by his side all this time because of that promise, and we’ll do anything to protect him. Even to the likes of you.”

Chanwoo started to walk past Jiwon. And when their shoulders aligned, Chanwoo stopped before adding another warning. “And one more thing… be careful of what you say or do in front of Jinhwan. You might be jealous of what they have, but if it weren’t for him, Hanbin wouldn’t be alive. And unlike you, he’s not only there to protect and care for Hanbin but to love him too.”

Jiwon’s eyes shook at what Chanwoo said. He felt his whole body turned tense at the last sentence. Chanwoo scoffed at him before leaving him with a trembling fist.

Truth be told, Jiwon wanted to punch something, to shout, to scream at the top of his lungs and let out the frustration inside him. Talking to Chanwoo wouldn’t have been a problem. The accusation and the threats were nothing. He was used to it. He lived in one of the craziest countries in the world, so threats like those were nothing to him. He, too, went through a lot. But he managed and now he’s better, or at least that’s what he would like to think.

With his mind wandering, his body lead him to the riverbanks. The place where he spent countless moments with Hanbin, the place where their precious memories were etched.

Jiwon couldn’t help but look at the running water, his mind floating back to the day when he tried to teach Hanbin how to swim.

_The sun was up amidst the bright blue sky. And even though summer had just arrived, the place felt like a desert. The temperatures brought the sweat out of the children, but they still continued to play in the playground despite their soaked clothes. Though they separated ways to get back home at that time, Hanbin and Jiwon didn’t miss the chance to head over to their favourite place by the riverbanks._

_“Ah! This feels nice!” Jiwon sighed out as he dipped his feet into the side of the river._

_“J-Ji-hyung… d-don’t fall.” Hanbin worried, pulling Jiwon’s shirt to make sure he doesn’t get swept by the river’s water._

_Jiwon laughed, “Don’t worry! I’m not falling inside. And even if I do fall inside, I can swim out! I’m an awesome swimmer!”_

_“N-No… the current. The current of the river is too strong… You’ll-You’ll drown…” Hanbin called out, worry evident in his tone as he continued to hold on to Jiwon’s shirt._

_“Why are you so scared of the river Hanbinie? Do you want me to teach you how to swim so you won’t be afraid? Let’s go swim!” Jiwon called out._

_“N-No… W-w-we’ll drown.” Hanbin tried to reason. “We can’t go in there. Ji-hyung.”_

_“C’mon! My brother taught me how to swim so we’ll be fine! Let’s dive in so I can teach you!” Jiwon was about to pull his shirt off when he saw the panic that surrounded Hanbin. It was a sight he will always remember._

_Hanbin immediately pulled him with all his strength as he reprimanded Jiwon of the dangers of the river. Laughing it out, Jiwon could do nothing but listen to Hanbin talk because there was nothing more beautiful than watching Hanbin._

“Jiwon?”

Jiwon flinched when he heard his name. Though he didn’t want to, he turned around when he recognized the voice that called out to him. Much to his disappointment, it really was Jinhwan with Hanbin right beside him. Jiwon felt a thick blockage in his throat as he looked at them, his eyes falling to their hands—fingers intertwined.

“What are you doing there?” Jinhwan asked him. His demeanour was different. He was acting friendly as if the issue that happened on the rooftop was already forgotten.

Jiwon parted his lips, unsure what to answer him but he pushed himself to answer. “Nothing, I was just waiting for the sunset.”

Jinhwan raised his gaze, looking into the horizon where the sky was starting to touch the hue of oranges. He nodded, understanding Jiwon’s moment of sentiment. “I didn’t know you were such a romantic.” He giggled. Though he didn’t mean anything by the way he giggled, Jiwon felt like he was getting ridiculed. It became apparent that he didn’t appreciate it with the way he looked away from Jinhwan.

“You’re not supposed to giggle if you’re giving a compliment. If you do that, it’ll sound like you’re mocking him.” Hanbin said, his voice was stern as if reprimanding Jinhwan.

“Ah! Is that so? I’m sorry, Jiwon. I didn’t mean to mock you. I meant it as a compliment. Really.” Jinhwan suddenly said, biting his lip.

Jiwon felt a stinging feeling in his chest as he silently nodded. He was just thinking of their past, of how he loved hearing Hanbin nagging him. He didn’t think, nor did he anticipate, that Hanbin would be directing it to someone else. Years, it may have been years since he was gone, but the memories of their childhood still lingered vividly in his mind.

“As an apology, let me treat you to some good food. We’re just about to get some snacks, so come join us.” Jinhwan called out to Jiwon before looking back at Hanbin. “It’s alright if I ask him, right?”

Hanbin nodded. “I should… also apologize. For…” He trailed off.

When Jiwon heard him, he immediately waved his hands in panic. “N-no… that… that was my fault for pulling you all of a sudden and…” Jiwon felt a pang in his chest when he noticed how Jinhwan was looking at him. It was as if he was a specimen in the zoo with prying eyes hovering on him.

“Let’s talk over a pint of ice cream!” A slight quirk in Jinhwan’s lips as he raised his hand.

Jiwon was left with no choice but to follow, especially when Hanbin glanced back at him with those puppy eyes. His hesitance crumbled and he gave in, following the two into a pastry shop.

“Do… they sell ice cream here?” Jiwon unconsciously let the words slip out. He was just thinking about it when he saw where they went.

“Oh, don’t worry, these two never ordered whatever’s on the menu.”

Jiwon turned to see an old guy by the counter. He looked like he was just about the same age as his grandfather, if not younger. Jiwon was surprised that the guy would suddenly talk to him, but then he realized what the answer to his question was. “Wait… they don’t order what’s on the menu?”

“Mm… I think it’s a bother.” Jinhwan answered nonchalantly as their feet manoeuvred to the table that was right in front of the counter. It was obvious how the two were regular patrons in the shop, seeing as they already have a favourite spot in there.

“Is what he says.” The old guy sighed, shaking his head. “I don’t think I’ve seen you.”

“Ah, I’m Kim, Jiwon. I just transferred back from NSK.” Jiwon introduced, giving a slight bow to the older man that was nodding his head.

There was a big smile on his lips, apparently happy to meet someone new. “From NSK, huh? What made you come back here? It’s such a boring place! If I could go there, I’d never go back here.” The old guy laughed.

“You’re not allowed to leave us, Grampa Jin! Who’s gonna make our snacks if you leave?” Jinhwan pretended to sob, puppy eyes looking up at the old guy while his lips trembled as if he had been crying.

The old guy rolled his eyes before looking at Hanbin. He pointed at Jinhwan before saying, “Look, look at him. He’s doing it again. Stop him, please, stop him. He’s going to give me nightmares again.”

Hanbin looked at Jinhwan before tilting his head and poking his nose. Jinhwan immediately scrunched his nose as he smiled at Hanbin, to which the other mirrored back. Jiwon, on the other hand, just stood by the entrance, heart constricting as he watched the interaction between the two. Though he wanted to step back out and leave, he heard the old guy call him out.

“Well don’t just stand there, go ahead and sit down. Let me know what you want to eat, and I’ll try to make it.” The old guy said, patting his hands dry with the towel hanging on his waist.

“Ah… thanks, sir.” Jiwon said, moving towards the table to sit with the two. Though Jinhwan and Hanbin were opposite to each other, Jiwon felt like he was intruding a special moment as he sat to the side of the table, overseeing both.

“Aigoo… Call me Grampa Jin like what everyone else calls me. Calling me sir makes me feel like I’m old.” Jin said, as he immediately turned to glare at Jinhwan. Knowing him, he has another follow-up to tease him.

“What? I didn’t say anything!” Jinhwan defended, raising his brows and hands at the old guy.

“Hmph! You better don’t. I may be old, but my hearing is impeccable.” Jin said, shaking his head as he arranged his display. “Just call me when you’re ready to order. You don’t use that damn menu anyway. What’s the use of having a menu when no one reads it?” He grumbled yet loud enough for everyone to hear him.

“You can order whatever you want to eat, Jiwon. Grampa Jin always makes anything as long as you don’t ask for anything too complicated.” Jinhwan suddenly leaned closer to Jiwon, making him flinch. “Old people don’t like it when you ask for complicated food.”

“I heard that, you brat!” Jin called out from behind the counter.

Jinhwan just snorted as he moved back to his chair. The circle table looked relatively small with the three people sitting in there. It wasn’t, but Jiwon felt like the table was too small for him. That, or he may just be unsure how to feel.

“I want the tiramisu ice cream.” Hanbin uttered, like a whisper but loud enough for Jiwon to hear.

“What was that?” Jinhwan asked, leaning closer to Hanbin.

Jiwon narrowed his eyes as the other. He was unsure if Jinhwan was doing that on purpose to irk him, but he didn’t appreciate it. He heard what Hanbin said, loud and clear, yet Jinhwan didn’t? It didn’t sit well with him.

“The tiramisu ice cream and a hot choco.” Hanbin repeated, smiling as he looked at Jinhwan, who was leaning closer to him. He immediately landed a kiss on Jinhwan’s cheek since the opportunity presented itself.

Jinhwan gasped, an apparent act that showed how shocked he was though it was all pretend. “We’re in public!” He stated, yet the smile on his face was a clear indication of his joy. “Grampa Jin, tiramisu ice cream, a hot chocolate and an americano please!”

“Got it. What about that other kid?” Jin asked, peaking through the display case.

“I’ll just get an americano too.” Jiwon answered shyly.

“That’s it? You should get something to eat for a snack. It’s my treat, after all.” Jinhwan pushed, tilting his head and letting out a pout.

Though when Jinhwan pouted, Hanbin hurriedly pinched his lips while glaring at him. Jinhwan raised his brows with widened eyes, puzzled why Hanbin would do that to him in the presence of others. Though Hanbin didn’t say anything, it was clear as day that he didn’t want Jinhwan acting cute towards Jiwon.

“I’m not really into sweets.” Jiwon said, looking at the speck of dirt on the table that seemed to be a figment of his imagination. Comparative to that hallucinated speck, he would rather stare at it than to see the two flirting in front of him.

Jinhwan removed Hanbin’s hand on his lips before turning to Jiwon again. “What? You said you were their childhood friend…? Since they continuously bothered Grandma Soo for candy, I thought you’d be one of them. I assumed that you liked sweets too.”

“Grandma Soo? You know her?” Jiwon asked, furrowing his brows.

“Yeah… she’s that grandma who ran the candy shop near the park, right? She’s Grandpa Jin’s sister.” Jinhwan explained as if it was his business to talk about it.

Jiwon was surprised to find out about this. He spent many years in Heesoo’s place, helping her and taking care of her but never did he think that she was someone who still had family. She never mentioned it since she would often talk about her adventures outside their small community. He thought of her as a pirate before, something that she confessed which he kept completely hush about. But finding out that she had family was something he was surprised, thinking about it, he has yet to visit her.

“Bah! That woman’s only nice to kids. Do you know that Hansel and Gretel is based on her?” Jin called out from the kitchen. The swivel doors blasted open which surprised Jinhwan and Jiwon. Hanbin was still staring at Jinhwan with narrowed eyes that he didn’t bother with the commotion around him. “She’s that witch who ate them! That’s why she’s running a candy shop!”

“Grandpa Jin, no matter how much you don’t like your sister you shouldn’t say things like that.” Jinhwan grumbled, furrowing his forehead since he couldn’t believe what he heard.

Jin just shook his head while waving his spatula. “You’re just saying that because you’re already addicted to her sweets. You’re under her spell that’s why you’re defending her. You wouldn’t say that if you were shoved into the oven to get eaten.”

“Why? Did she do that to you?” Jinhwan answered back but Jin immediately turned to head back into the kitchen. Jinhwan couldn’t help but giggle at him. “He’s just saying that but he’s the one who pushed Grandma Soo in the oven. She told me the story about it one time.”

“Is… Is that true?” Jiwon asked, obviously unsure if he should believe the words coming out of Jinhwan’s lips.

“Well, between you and me…” Jinhwan leaned closer to Jiwon again, putting his hand closer to his lips to cover it as he whispered to Jiwon. “The reason that he’s making off-the-menu stuff for us is because we found out about his secret.” He giggled.

As Jinhwan did so, he suddenly yelped in surprise when Hanbin poked the side of his torso. He immediately turned to Hanbin, surprised that he was still staring at him with a glare in his eyes. “What was that about?”

Hanbin clicked his tongue, looking away with an irritated gaze. Jinhwan sighed before pouting but before Hanbin could pinch his lips again, he immediately caught Hanbin’s hand to intertwine their fingers. When Hanbin raised his other hand, Jinhwan saw it again. “Gotcha.” He claimed, with a bright grin.

Jiwon gritted his teeth as he looked at their hands on the table. Seeing it right in front of him just irks him even more. Sure, Jinhwan talks to him but it was Hanbin that he wanted to talk to. However, with the way Hanbin is acting, it was hard to know what he was thinking.

“Well if you guys are going to put your hands on the table, where am I supposed to put the food?” The three looked up to see Jin standing near their table with a tray in his hands.

“Ah, sorry, Grampa Jin!” Jinhwan giggled but he didn’t remove his hold on Hanbin. “Let me just move chairs.” He uttered before moving to the other chair while Jin rolled his eyes. Though he did so, he still moved along with Jinhwan to exchange places with him. Now that Jinhwan and Hanbin sat adjacent to each other, the table was cleared off their hands.

But no matter how scrumptious the food in front of him was, his mouth felt dry. Jiwon knew that the moment he placed any of those in his mouth, it would taste like sand again. As much as he didn’t want to eat, he was surprised to see food on a spoon directed for him. His eyes widened when he saw Hanbin trying to feed him.

“Try it.” Hanbin said, urging Jiwon to eat the first scoop of the dessert.

Once Jiwon looked at Hanbin, his eyes were glued to him as he leaned forward to eat it. Jinhwan, on the other hand, observed the new guy. A smile crept out of his lips as he noticed how Jiwon’s eyes couldn’t leave Hanbin’s.

“Interesting… isn’t it?” Jinhwan uttered, his eyes glimmering with a mischievous smile.

“Oh… I thought I should let him eat first since you said it’s an apology for him.” Hanbin said, looking at Jinhwan. “Is it… not okay?”

“Of course, it’s okay! He only ordered for drinks so I’m glad you made him try it!” Jinhwan chirped, raising his shoulders as he grinned at Hanbin. “Plus, I discovered something fun.”

Hanbin raised his brows. Even without words, he was obviously asking what it was but Jinhwan just giggled before sticking out his tongue. It was a clear sign that he wanted to tease Hanbin.

“Anyway… you’re their childhood friend right?” Jinhwan asked.

Jiwon nodded, his gaze transferring to Jinhwan who was already looking at him.

“Then, does that mean you also know _my_ Hanbinie?” Jinhwan smiled.

Jiwon couldn’t help but feel a loud thump in his chest as he looked at Jinhwan. Though he could see the guy smiling, it didn’t reach his eyes. There was something about the way he looked at Jiwon that kept his mouth shut. As if any answer would lead to his doom. Though he wanted to answer, his tongue was kept in his mouth as if afraid to come out and talk.

“How about Binie? Does he remember Jiwon?” Jinhwan asked, moving his gaze to Hanbin when Jiwon didn’t answer even after a few seconds. “Does he remind you of something?” He added when Hanbin looked at Jiwon. His gaze was unwavering.

Jinhwan may be quiet, cunning to be quite accurate, but his eyes observe more than what was in front of it. Even the smallest gestures, or the way Jiwon’s cheeks turned into the puff of pink when his eyes met Hanbin’s. It didn’t escape Jinhwan’s vision.

“I’m sorry… I-I don’t.” Hanbin looked troubled, biting his lip.

With the way he reacted, Jiwon could only think how it bothered Hanbin. It was obvious that he would feel bothered about it. Meeting someone that has memories of him, but he could barely remember them. It was preposterous to even assume to Hanbin could remember him like he was some sort of medicine that could cure Hanbin of whatever his sickness was.

However, Jiwon felt flustered at the way Hanbin apologized to him. He didn’t want to hear something like that from him. No matter what, he wasn’t looking for an apology. He knew, at the back of his mind, that Chanwoo was right. And even if he refused to believe it, Hanbin was living proof that he had fucked it all up. “I-It’s alright. I mean… Donghyuk was clear about the passing of time. It’s been 10 years and I…” Jiwon halted, unable to finish the sentence as he thought of it. _‘I’m late.’_

“Don’t worry about it. Whatever’s done is just a part of the past. It’s the present so… shouldn’t you just do your best to do whatever you can now?” Jinhwan cheered. There was a playful smile on his lips but Jiwon could see that this smile had reached his eyes.

Jiwon never really liked Jinhwan, for obvious reasons. But when it came to Hanbin, he was obviously there to protect him, just like how he was before he left. Jinhwan had replaced him as the most important person in Hanbin’s life. And he could do nothing more than to accept that fact.

“I guess… you’re right.” Jiwon answered without a hint of enthusiasm in his voice.

“Since that’s the case, how about hanging out with us some time? We have study sessions and sleepovers before the exams. You should join us.” Jinhwan asked.

Jiwon felt weird about the invitation. Of course he would be happy about spending time with Hanbin. But thinking that he’d have to spend time with Jinhwan too? He was sceptic. More than that, if it meant sleepovers, then it would probably be with the others. He wasn’t sure what they thought of him yet, but basing it on Chanwoo’s words, he was probably someone they were wary of.

“I… I don’t know. I’m not sure if I could even do that. Besides, I don’t think studying with others isn’t so productive.” Jiwon said.

“Hmm? Oh… Don’t you know who the top students in school are?” Jinhwan tilted his head, curiously looking at Jiwon who had no idea what to answer him.

Jiwon’s jaw fell when he saw the scores posted on the board. The midterm exams were still up there and he was surprised to see who was the top students.

#1 Kim, Hanbin

#2 Kim, Jinhwan

#3 Jung, Chanwoo

#3 Jung, Yunhyeong

…

#5 Kim, Donghyuk

…

…

…

#7 Koo, Junhoe

There was a feeling of doubt in Jiwon as he looked at the top 10. Seeing Junhoe’s name placed within that seat was shocking, even for him. The guy who hated studying was one of the top and he just couldn’t believe it. He kept rubbing his eyes, unsure what’s going on.

He suddenly felt arms over his shoulders and he immediately turned to look. Junhoe on his right while Donghyuk was at his left. The two were grinning at him, obviously there to tease him.

“You look like you just saw a ghost.” Donghyuk snickered at Jiwon.

“Is this for real? You actually managed to get good grades?” Jiwon answered back. His face was dumbfounded, unable to believe what was posted.

“Yah! Of course it is!” Junhoe fought back. “You don’t believe how amazing I am?”

Jiwon hissed as he shook his head. “I don’t know. I feel like that’s…”

“Fine! How about making a deal with me then?” Junhoe asked.

Jiwon raised his brows, waiting for Junhoe to continued.

“If I get a higher score than you on our next quiz… then treat all of us to a trip!” Junhoe smirked. “But if you get a higher score then I’ll treat you and the others to a trip!”

“Do you think he’s an atm who has infinite funds?” Donghyuk clicked, hitting Junhoe’s head. “Just treat us to food.”

“But the weekend is perfect for camping! Besides, Hanbin’s been looking for an excuse to spend time in the wilderness.” Junhoe baited, which made Donghyuk look at him with questioning eyes. Looking at him as if he has lost his mind entirely. But Junhoe just rolled his eyes as he looked at Jiwon, observing his reaction. “Hanbin’s been into beetles lately. I saw him looking at those insect books last time, whispering that he wanted to try camping and stuff. I think he wanted to capture some beetles.”

“Call! Let’s make that bet.” Jiwon suddenly called out.

Donghyuk shook his head, letting out a huff. “You’re hopeless, man.” He patted Jiwon’s back.

“Heh. A deal’s a deal! I’m looking forward to that trip!” Junhoe grinned, ruffling Jiwon as they stepped away from him.

Jiwon looked back at the paper on the board, his eyes focused on the name that occupied the top.

“I guess… even after 10 years you’re still number one.” He whispered to himself. “Wait for me Hanbinie… I’ll be by your side next.”

**Author's Note:**

> Note Regarding the places: I literally suck at accuracy regarding real life places so I thought it would be better to put them in a world entirely made of pure imagination.
> 
> North State Kingdom is like the Americas. So like US/Canada kind of thing.  
> Sorokea is basically Korea-ish in my head. An asian place of some sort.
> 
> More places will be included into the story and I'll try my best to at least describe them. Though I can't hold my candle lit to that because yall know how much I suck at explanations and descriptions. haaaa.


End file.
